Oversized attractions and tropical stops turn this Aussie coastal drive into a memorable adventure. Photo / Ash Jurberg
From giant mangoes to tequila farms, a road trip from Cairns to Mackay offers a surprising slice of Australia, with plenty of quirky detours along the way, writes Ash Jurberg
“You may think everything‘s bigger in Texas,” I joked to my Texan wife as we landed at Cairns Airport, “but wait until you’ve experienced a classic Aussie road trip.”
It was her first visit to this corner of Queensland. Although I’d been a frequent visitor to the region, I wanted to experience it differently this time – and show her a side of Australia she hadn’t seen before.
We spent a few days in Cairns, exploring the reef and rainforest that make this part of Far North Queensland so special. Then, instead of staying in one place, we picked up a rental car and hit the road, heading south along the coast. We planned to fly home from Mackay, 750km away. Our drive would follow the scenic coastline, taking us through little towns, past agave farms, and to some of the icons that make a journey through regional Australia so much fun: the “Big Things”.
Australia‘s obsession with oversized roadside attractions is a quirky national tradition worth experiencing. This love affair with Big Things started in the 1960s, with early icons like the Big Scotsman in South Australia and the Big Banana in New South Wales. Initially, they were designed as marketing tools to grab the attention of passing motorists and encourage them to stop and spend money. Over the decades, they’ve evolved from simple marketing gimmicks into landmarks that are now a much-loved part of Australian travel culture. I was determined to introduce my wife to this peculiar Aussie tradition.
Our first drive was a short 125km hop to Mission Beach, a laid-back backpacker town. The route wound between mountains and coastline with glimpses of the Coral Sea appearing between gaps in the lush vegetation. The town marks the start of the Cassowary Coast, home to these endangered birds – and their oversized replicas.
“We drove here just to see this sign?” my wife asked, eyebrow raised as we pulled up beside a towering cassowary statue. While that was part of it, the real attraction was experiencing the beauty of Mission Beach. It’s one of the few places in Australia where tropical rainforest meets a long, beautiful stretch of beach, creating a postcard-perfect setting.
We spent the night drinking cold local beer and watching the sunset. “Now this is worth it,” my wife admitted. We’d found common ground on what constituted a worthwhile stop.
The next morning, after walking along the shore at sunrise, we headed to the Golden Gumboot in Tully, a symbol oddly dedicated to rainfall. This 7.9m-tall monument commemorates the 7.9m of rain that fell in 1950, the highest annual total ever recorded in a populated area of Australia.
“The height of the boot represents the rainfall,” I explained, feeling rather pleased with my impromptu tour guide (or rather Google) knowledge. True to form, it was raining when we arrived, hastening our departure to our next stop. We laughed about it – it somehow felt fitting that a town proud of its rainfall would make sure we got the full experience.
“Another giant roadside attraction?” my wife laughed as we pulled up beside a Giant Crab – just in time for lunch on the beach in Cardwell. While many of these towns are small, they are all home to some of Australia‘s finest beaches. Despite it being the middle of winter, the weather hovered around the high 20s, perfect for beach walks.
“This is what makes Australia special,” I told my wife as we strolled along the shoreline. “You can stop almost anywhere and find yourself on a world-class beach that would be overrun with tourists elsewhere.”
We bypassed Townsville, the region’s largest city, in favour of continuing our “Big Things” pilgrimage to Bowen, the mango capital of Australia. The Bowen Mango is the biggest type of mango in the world, and it should come as no surprise that there is a 10m-tall Giant Mango statue to commemorate this. “Now that’s impressive,” my wife admitted, warming to our quirky quest.
As a mango fan, I couldn’t wait to try their range of mango treats, and I can say the mango sorbet alone is worth the roadtrip. “This might be better than a Dairy Queen Blizzard,” my wife conceded – the essential Texas road trip stop – high praise indeed.
Just 10 minutes beyond Bowen, the lush tropical scenery gave way to a drier, almost desert-like landscape that looked more like Mexico. In 2020, a local farmer realised the Whitsundays climate matched Jalisco’s – the home of tequila – and planted Australia‘s first commercial agave farm. Four years later, the first bottles of “Australian Agave” (it can’t legally be called tequila) hit the market.
At dinner at the Eimeo Pacific Hotel, we enjoyed panoramic views over the coast. As it was whale migration season, we were lucky to see a few of these magnificent specimens breaching in the distance as we ate.
“Fitting to finish our road trip of big things by watching the world’s biggest animal!” I said, raising my beer. It felt like the perfect finale to our classic Aussie road trip.
We found ourselves slowing down more than we expected, taking minor detours, going on beach walks, and lingering without any real rush. Over several days, we covered a substantial amount of territory, but it never felt exhausting. The roads were good, traffic minimal, and the drive easy. For travellers who want to experience Queensland beyond tourist hotspots, this journey offers a perfect blend of reefs and beaches, from Far North Queensland to the Whitsundays.
My wife’s verdict on our unusual Australian road trip? “Everything really is bigger in Australia – even the mangoes.”
• Best time to visit: May to October (comfortable 20C–28C; whale sightings June–November, and outside marine stinger season for safer ocean swimming)
• Flights: Direct Auckland–Cairns (Air New Zealand, Jetstar); return via Mackay - Brisbane–New Zealand.
• Car rental: Book early for the best one-way deals; major companies often allow one-way drop-offs in Mackay.
A survey found 32% of tourists regret actions such as posing with statues.